Diascia plant named ‘Dala Oran’

ABSTRACT

A new  Diascia  plant named ‘Dala Oran’ particularly distinguished by relatively large, deep orange flowers, medium to deep green foliage, strong branching and bushy, medium sized plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Diascia barberae.

Varietal denomination: ‘Dala Oran’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Diascia, botanically known as Diascia barberae, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Dala Oran.’

‘Dala Oran’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘Dala Oran’ has relatively large, deep orange flowers, medium to deep green foliage, strong branching and bushy, medium sized plant habit.

‘Dala Oran’ originated from a hybridization made in June 2005 in a controlled breeding program in Andijk, Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary Diascia plant designated ‘DS05-103-4.’ ‘DS05-103-4’ has a deeper salmon flower color and longer stems than ‘Dala Oran.’

The male parent of ‘Dala Oran’ was an unpatented, proprietary Diascia plant designated ‘DS05-115-1.’ ‘DS05-115-1’ has a similar orange flower color, but smaller flowers and less deep green foliage than ‘Dala Oran.’

The resulting seeds were sown in October 2005. ‘Data Oran’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in January 2006 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Dala Oran’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the spring of 2006 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in the spring of 2006 in Andijk, Netherlands, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Dala Oran’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘Dala Oran’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length.

No Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar have been applied so far. ‘Dala Oran’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

This new Diascia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant in full color. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

The photograph, taken in Hillscheid, Germany in mid July 2007 shows 3 plants in a hanging basket and a close view of a flower.

The plants were 5–6 months old and were growing outdoors under rain protection.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The measurements were taken in Hillscheid, Germany, mainly on April 5, using 8 week old greenhouse grown plants. Culture of these plants had started in early February 2008 with planting of rooted cuttings into 12 cm pots. The young plants were pinched once. Additional observations were made during the summer of 2008.

Color chart used: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2001.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown indoors and outdoors in Andijk, Netherlands and in Hillscheid, Germany. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Diascia as a new and distinct variety:

-   -   1. Relatively large, brilliant orange colored flowers     -   2. Floriferous and continuously flowering     -   3. Medium to deep green foliage, nearly round leaf shape     -   4. Densely branched and tight, compact plant habit with the         inflorescences well above the foliage     -   5. About medium size, semi-upright to somewhat trailing, rounded         habit.

COMPARISON WITH COMMERCIAL CULTIVARS

‘Dala Oran’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Flying Colors Upright Coral’ (‘Diastis,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,950) in that ‘Dala Oran’ has larger flowers and a taller plant habit than ‘Diastis.’ Additionally, the plant habit of ‘Dala Oran’ is more trailing, less upright.

‘Dala Oran’ differs from the commercial cultivar ‘Diastusca’ (‘Flying Colors Orange,’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,723) in that ‘Dala Oran’ has a medium orange color, instead of an orange-red hue, deeper green foliage, and a rounded leaf shape.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘DALA ORAN’ WITH SIMILAR VARIETIES ‘Diastis’ ‘Diastusca’ (U.S. (U.S. Plant Pat. Plant Pat. No. ‘Dala Oran’ No. 13,950) 17,723) Flower color Deep orange, Salmon-orange, Reddish-orange, RHS 32A (indoors); RHS 41C RHS 34C to 35A RHS 32B (outdoors) Plant and Medium to tall Distinctly taller, Roughly similar growth habit somewhat less in size or slightly tight than ‘Dala taller Oran,’ more upright directed stems Leaf shape Cordate, More ovate More ovate (more relatively round elongate)

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Bushy, tight, freely branching,             semi-upright to semi-trailing.         -   Height.—15 cm (from top of soil) for 15 week old plants.         -   Width (diameter).—46 cm.         -   Spread (including flowers).—Approximately 20–25 cm, from the             base of the main stem to the tips of the branches.         -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—About 8–10 weeks             for a 12 cm pot.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Plant in full sun; is             free-flowering through the summer; has some heat tolerance;             use in hanging-baskets. or mixed container planting.         -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—About 14 days,             respective 21 days for a saleable, pinched young plant.         -   Root description.—Fibrous and freely branching. -   Stem:     -   -   Characteristics.—Side branches are developed at almost every             node.         -   Stem length.—Up to 25 cm, excluding the inflorescence.         -   Diameter.—0.2–0.3 cm in the middle part.         -   Internode length.—2.0–2.5 cm.         -   Color.—Mainly RHS 143C (light green), possibly a little             anthocyanin at the base: RHS 182A.         -   Texture.—Appears smooth and glabrous. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Single and opposite, decussate at non-flowering             stems.         -   Shape.—Cordate to ovate.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute to obtuse.         -   Base.—Subcordate.         -   Margin.—Weakly crenate.         -   Leaf length.—2.5–2.7 cm.         -   Leaf width.—1.6–2.1 cm.         -   Immature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137D to RHS 143A.         -   Lower surface.—Near RHS 138B.         -   Mature, leaf color, upper surface.—RHS 137B.         -   Lower surface.—RHS 138B.         -   Venation type.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color.—RHS 144B.         -   Texture.—Appears smooth and glabrous on both sides. -   Petiole:     -   -   Length.—0.1–0.3 cm.         -   Petiole width.—0.2 cm.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 143C. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous through the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—About 20–30.         -   Type of inflorescence.—Terminal raceme with flowers in an             alternate arrangement at a distance of 0.5 to 1.0 cm.         -   Number of flowers per inflorescence.—Most often 5–7 open             flowers, and additional buds.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—3–4 days.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Inflorescent length.—Most often 12–18 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—3.2–3.8 cm. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color.—RHS 143B–C.         -   Length.—9–14 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Covered with very fine hair. -   Flower:     -   -   Corolla type and shape.—Single, zygomorphic; salver-shape, 5             petals fused at the base, the two small upper petals mainly             fused, two lateral lobes and a broad lower lobe; two short             spurs emerge at the underside, formed by the lower ends of             lateral and lower petals.         -   Length.—2.3–2.5 cm.         -   Width.—2.1–2.3 cm.         -   Depth.—0.4 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—Orange, RHS 32A (indoors), RHS 32B             (outdoors).         -   Color lower surface.—Orange, RHS 33C or RHS 35B.         -   Markings in the center.—Reddish ring, RHS 47B to RHS 50B;             upper petals have a yellow patch, RHS 13B, at the base. -   Petal (lobes):     -   -   Apex.—Rounded.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous on both sides.         -   Upper lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—0.6 cm.         -   Upper lobes, width (joint).—1.2 cm.         -   Lateral lobes, length (from the corolla opening).—0.5–0.6             cm.         -   Lateral lobes, width.—0.9 cm.         -   Lower lobe, length (from the corolla opening).—1.3 cm.         -   Lower lobe, width.—1.6 cm. -   Spur: Funnel-shaped and downwards directed     -   -   Spur length.—0.7–0.8 cm.         -   Spur diameter.—0.25 cm at upper end.         -   Spur color.—(Initially) mainly RHS 51B, dull pink, turning             dull purple, RHS 186B (base) to RHS 186C (tip) with             maturity. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Shape.—Initially a somewhat flattened half-sphere, oyster             shape at opening.         -   Width.—0.7 cm.         -   Length.—0.5 cm.         -   Color (at tight bud).—Salmon-pink, RHS 37B–C. -   Calyx:     -   -   Form.—5 sepals, slanting downwards.         -   Sepal color.—RHS 143A on both sides.         -   Length.—0.2–0.3 cm.         -   Width.—0.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Deltoid to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Texture, lower surface.—Covered with glandular hair. -   Pedicels:     -   -   Color.—RHS 144A near base to 144B at flower end.         -   Length.—1.0–1.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Texture.—Dense hair, hirsute, partly glandular hair. -   Reproductive organs: -   Stamens:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—4; coherent, arching towards and             somewhat twisting around the pistil.         -   Filament, color.—RHS 63B near anther, lighter towards base.         -   Length.—0.3–0.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 11A, yellow.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Pollen color.—RHS 12A. -   Pistil:     -   -   Quantity per flower.—One.         -   Length.—0.3–0.4 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 154A.         -   Style color.—RHS 145B. -   Fruit and seed set: Has not been observed -   Disease and insect resistance: Resistance and susceptibility typical     for the species; no special observations made. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Diascia plant named ‘Dala Oran,’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 